History YMMV / Showgirls

* BileFascination: It's an NC-17 movie that bombed in theaters. Some people definitely want to know why.

* FandomSpecificPlot: Much of the fanbase believe a theory that Nomi is actually a grown-up Jessie from Saved By The Bell who never got over addiction to caffeine pills and nervous breakdown.

* SoBadItsGood:
** The 2004 DVD release came with shot glasses and a list of possible Drinking Games for the movie.
** Just having a drink every time Crystal says "darlin'" is enough for most people.

** ElizabethBerkley could be said to have taken ''Showgirls'' '''too''' seriously. This is why she received the majority of the backlash from it. At least everyone else gave the impression that they were trying to distance themselves from it.

** "My period." "Yeah, right." "Check."

** There's a couple of great Music/{{Prince}} songs on the soundtrack; "Ripopgodezippa" when James and Nomi dance together at his place, and "319" during Nomi's first stripping scene.

** When James and Nomi first meet, they dance to Music/DavidBowie's "I'm Afraid Of Americans," of all songs.

* FetishRetardant: For most people, and arguably the TropeCodifier. Essentially there's so much nudity, that the bad acting becomes that much funnier. The pool sex scene is decidedly un-sexy because of how awkward it is.

* LesYay: Nomi and Molly. Nomi even gives her a goodbye kiss.

* DesignatedHero: Nomi ''really'' didn't even try to be heroic. The HookerWithAHeartOfGold trope is attempted to be played with her job as a stripper/topless dancer, despite the fact that many of her actions in the movie come off as mildly amoral and a bit of a SympatheticSue. She gives what is apparently a lap-dance, but is just actual sex while he kept his pants on. She screwed her boss Zack Carey to get higher in the consideration to be [[PsychoLesbian Cristal Conners's]] understudy. Then she pushes Cristal down the stairs, which one character mentions resulted in injuries that would keep her out for up to a year. Sure Cristal was a bitch, but Nomi just stooped to the level of the bitchy dancer who purposely injured another dancer because she yelled at her kids. Even Molly is disgusted at Nomi for having done this... for a whole four minutes before she goes back to fangirling over Andrew Carver, who for some reason gang-rapes her. By the end, [[EasilyForgiven everybody forgives Nomi]] and treats her as some angelic force- the girl she pushed down the stairs, her boss, everybody. There's also the fact that her punishment of Andrew, to kick him in the face a few times, [[KarmaHoudini really did nothing to prevent him from raping again.]] Nomi leaves town at the end after threatening Andrew's life. Nomi was a Vegas star, did she think her disappearance would go unnoticed? What's stopping Andrew from attacking Molly again? Nothing.

* VindicatedByVideo: ''Showgirls'' bombed at the box office, but it became one of [=MGM/UA=]'s biggest sellers on home video.

** ElizabethBerkley could be said to have taken ''Showgirls'' too seriously. This is why she received the majority of the backlash from it. At least everyone else gave the impression that they were trying to distance themselves from it.
** Creator/KyleMacLachlan was rumored to have stormed out of a screening because he was told by Creator/PaulVerhoeven that they were making a serious art film and not... well, ''Showgirls''. [=MacLachlan=] himself claims no such event took place; and when he did attend a screening, he "suffered through the whole two hours of it."

* CultClassic: Not ''quite'' at ''Film/TheRoom'' level, but it has a devoted following who consider it high {{Camp}} entertainment, and there are still screenings of the film in major cities today. Elizabeth Berkley herself [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk8XR3U71D0 attended a Los Angeles screening in 2015]].

* LesYay: Nomi and Molly. She even gives her a goodbye kiss.

** Creator/KyleMacLachlan was rumored to have stormed out of a screening because he was told by Creator/PaulVerhoeven that they were making a serious art film and not... well, ''Showgirls''. [=MacLachlan=] himself claims no such event took place.

--> "But guess which character is described with care, cinematic attention, and [[{{Irony}} not a single description of her sex appeal]]? [[DoubleTake Nomi Malone from ''Showgirls'']]!"

* {{Squick}}:

* FetishRetardant: For most people, and arguably the TropeCodifier.
* FridgeLogic: When discussing who to cast as the lead in "Goddess," a casino representative mentions [[SnarkBait LaToya Jackson]] but says they went with Cristal. After Cristal's sidelined, the producers discuss approaching Music/JanetJackson or Music/PaulaAbdul. Both these women were at the height of their fame during filming, suggesting that the "Goddess" act was lucrative enough and respectable enough to lure major pop stars from $80 million contracts that wouldn't have involved nudity. For comparison, the budget for ''Showgirls'' itself was $45 million. Even assuming the producers were lying through their teeth, they'd likely get sued for slander.
** The hotel manager's response to the suggestion (the concern about salary) shows that he had no intention of bringing them in, but was merely remarking that Nomi has the same level of sexiness and talent. Tony's response seemed to that that those two weren't good enough for his show.

** Gina Gershon has claimed this of her performance, once she realized [[SoBadItsGood just what kind of film she was making]].
** TookTheBadFilmSeriously: However, reviewers (while they ''do'' generally acknowledge her performance as the best in the film) are usually left with the impression that she was fully committing to the material in a way that none of her co-stars could (or in some cases, simply didn't want to).

* DesignatedHero: Nomi ''really'' didn't even try to be heroic. The HookerWithAHeartOfGold trope is attempted to be played with her job as a stripper/topless dancer, despite the fact that many of her actions in the movie come off as mildly amoral and a bit of a SympatheticSue. She gives what is apparently a lap-dance, but is just actual sex while he kept his pants on. She screwed her boss Zack Carey to get higher in the consideration to be [[PsychoLesbian Cristal Conners's]] understudy. Then she pushes Cristal down the stairs, which one character mentions resulted in injuries that would keep her out for up to a year. Sure Cristal was a bitch, but Nomi just stooped to the level of the bitchy dancer who purposely injured another dancer because she yelled at her kids. Even Molly is disgusted at Nomi for having done this... for a whole four minutes before she goes back to fangirling over Andrew Carver, who for some reason gang-rapes her. By the end, everybody forgives Nomi and treats her as some angelic force- the girl she pushed down the stairs, her boss, everybody. There's also the fact that her punishment of Andrew, to kick him in the face a few times, [[KarmaHoudini really did nothing to prevent him from raping again.]] Nomi leaves town at the end after threatening Andrew's life. Nomi was a Vegas star, did she think her disappearance would go unnoticed? What's stopping Andrew from attacking Molly again? Nothing.

** Nomi's tantrums in general. Especially near the beginning when she flips out at her french fries.

** Nomi tells Andrew to be quiet at knife-point, [[Hypocrite and then screams in rage while kicking the crap out of him]].

** Nomi tells Andrew to be quiet at knifepoint, and then screams like a crazy person while kicking the crap out of him(?).

* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: From the very beginning of the film, it's very clear that there are very few people to root for. With the exception of Molly, every character is either incredibly sleazy, villainous or both. Nomi finds herself being used and taken advantage of by virtually every male character in the film in some way, shape or form, all while the majority of the female characters lie to her face or act catty towards her. The GratuitousRape of Nomi's friend is the final straw.

* FridgeLogic: When discussing who to cast as the lead in "Goddess," a casino representative mentions [[SnarkBait LaToya Jackson]] but says they went with Cristal. After Cristal's sidelined, the producers discuss approaching Music/JanetJackson or Music/PaulaAbdul. Both these women were at the height of their fame during filming, suggesting that the "Goddess" act was lucrative enough and respectable enough to lure major pop stars from $80 million contracts that wouldn't have involved nudity. For comparison, the budget for ''Showgirls'' itself was $45 million.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: There's a couple of great Music/{{Prince}} songs on the soundtrack; "Ripopgodezippa" when James and Nomi dance together at his place, and "319" during Nomi's first stripping scene.

* DesignatedHero: Nomi. We're supposed to root for her as an underdog, but she comes off as a bitch for most of the movie.

* FridgeLogic: When discussing who to cast as the lead in "Goddess," a casino representative mentions [[SnarkBait LaToya Jackson]] but says they went with Cristal. After Cristal's sidelined, the producers discuss approaching Janet Jackson or Paula Abdul. Both these women were at the height of their fame during filming, suggesting that the "Goddess" act was lucrative enough and respectable enough to lure major pop stars from $80 million contracts that wouldn't have involved nudity. For comparison, the budget for Showgirls itself was $45 million.

* HarsherInHindsight: When the guy that drove Nomi to Vegas asks her "What, has no one ever been nice to you?", it becomes a little sad when you learn her past.

* {{Squick}}: Nomi licking a stripper pole. Mm, tetanus and other bodily fluids that might be there.

* {{Squick}}: Nomi! Don't lick the pole!

** There's a dramatic pause in a conversation about brown rice and vegetables. That's before they start talking about eating dog food.